KANSAS CITY – MLS mavens sometimes enjoy using the All-Star game in its current format as a referendum on where the league stands, quality-wise.

It looks like this: If we gather the league’s tip-top talent, can they hang with a Premier League club or a top Scottish side or, as in this case, an above-average outfit from Italy’s tough Serie A?

Of course, there are about 40 reasons why the theory is flawed. From AS Roma’s side, start with fact that the team is just getting into the heart of its preseason training, nowhere near individual fitness and nothing that resembles a cohesive bunch in terms of understanding on the field. From the MLS side, does anyone seriously believe that one light, morning practice a day before the match can even begin to create an actual team from 11 individuals, even if they do represent a fairly fancy set of talented feet?

And there’s something else to consider: Roma is sure to have some heavy legs when the teams meet tonight at Sporting Park.

Roma is building preseason fitness, just as other European teams are right now, whether it’s in the States, in the seclusion of the Alps, somewhere in Asia or down under or wherever. They aren’t building fitness for late July; the comprehensive plan is all about building a base for the long, grueling season ahead.

Bottom line: the Roma players’ legs are surely dead.

Roma practiced Tuesday at Sporting Park, then went through another full fitness workout at the Kansas City Chiefs’ indoor training complex. They were back at it Wednesday morning, with a full training session at Sporting Kansas City’s complex at Swope Park.